Many many moons ago I initiated a thread telling all of the impending sale of my Ameo, and my reasons for doing so. Since then I have owned umpteen handsets including a Toshiba Portege G900, Nokia E90, Tytn ii, HTC Touch Diamond and finally (to my own surprise) an Iphone 3G.
I recall an overbearing distaste for the Iphone and its supposed lack of a software scene, however it seems that times have changed: the iPhone, for all its flaws now has a huge modding scene and an almost limitless array of applications to cover all of Apple's oversights. For what it's worth the iPhone is the most enjoyable handset I have ever used.
Now here's the thing.
I've been offered a very good price for my Iphone and have recently acquired an INCREDIBLY cheap HTC ADVANTAGE. From the quick look at these forums I've had there seem to have been some great developments and I WANT to fall back in love with the Advantage (though I accept that the device is in itself a completely different handset!)
I suppose on a deeper level I want to know if windows mobile can offer me the solutions that I have on my Iphone and enjoy every day. Obviously each device has HARDWARE differences that can never be changed - the Advantage will never have multitouch just as the iPhone will never have a VGA display; but considering the HUGE software library Windows Mobile supposedly offers can it provide solutions to the following tasks....
Google Contacts OTA sync - with Gsync I can synchronize my contacts every day and ensure I never lose a number. This also updates my contact photos stored on Google's servers. I don't use Outlook, never have never will and want a simple over the air solution.
Podcasts. With Mobilecast on the iPhone I can search for an download podcasts which download in the background and update as and when new shows arrive. It supports both video and audio podcasts.
YouTube downloader - allows the download of high quality YouTube videos to keep and supports multiple simultaneous downloads.
Email with properly formatted HTML support. I recall the Windows Mobile html email client displaying weirdly formatted and ugly messages, shifted to one side/ I will happily pay for a replacement email client if it is as beautiful and useable as the Iphone's.
Browser - the iPhone's browser is far from perfect, but I'm able to happily type out a new thread on Safari right now. I recall many problems with the Touch Diamond's Opera browser - most irritatingly the cursor moving back in the paragraph you're typing for no reason. Have most of the flaws with Opera Mobile been resolved? Is it now better than the iphone's Safari browser?
That's pretty much my list. They might seem pretty banal but they make me enjoy my iPhone, and if I can get the Advantage to do all those things then I'll probably sell up. I'm not worried about the size of the Advantage.
Hi Leoni,
Good to hear from you again after such a long period of absence.
I still give the same advice: define your requirements first, and be comprehensive in doing so.
- Do you need navigation software? If yes, iPhone is out, Athena is in.
- Do you want hugh screen and not mind the size? If yes, Athena has a tick.
- Do you do word, excel, and power point, or at least often receive attachment of such and want to read them on the device? If yes, iPhone is out, Athena is in.
- Could you tolerate weak signal strength? If no, iPhone is out.
- Do you have the habit of using handwriting recognition, or write Chinese/Japanese/Korean characters? If yes, iPhone is out.
- Do you want to use the GPS for traking, or prolonged use without access to power source? If yes, iPhone is out, as you can't swap in spare battery.
- Do you a extremely fussy person in wanting really really smooth video playback? If yes, consider iPhone. However, if you'r willing to wait, Coreplayer is going to address this issue very very shortly and poor video playout is likely to be history.
- Do you placed lots of value in internet browsing wihtout having to zoom in and out? If yes, nothing beats Athena. But Opera Mobile would never be as smooth as Safari. As to your questions on typing using Opera, it depends on which version you use. You need to try out all of them to see the difference.
- Are you a fashion conscious person who want to be "cool". If so, iPhone is a cool looking phone, but so is HTC Touch HD (Which I have just bought).
- Do you do presentation as required by your work? If yes, HTC Touch HD is out, and Athena is in, because HD does not have TV-out. Although iPhone has TV out, it does not have presentation software, so iPhone is also out.
- Do you want FM radio? If so, consider Touch HD.
- Do you want good camera (say 10MP camera) and video recording? If so, consider Samsung SBH B600.
You get the idea... You need to know what your requirements are, then gather information to see if your target phones meet your need.
Yes, a lot has changed for the better in Athena since you last left it, but there are still many areas which are unchanged. You could post all your specific question after you've considered your requirements, and we'll be very happy to answer your questions. You have already posted some of those question, but it's a good idea to think more comprehensively to make sure you cover all aspects of your needs.
I may not be able to answer some of the questions as your needs are different from mine, but I'm sure others would respond to your questions.
Cheers.
Hi Eaglesteve - I had a feeling you'd be in here - good to hear from you.
My circumstances are that I already have an iPhone and have an Advantage coming in the post today. I'm not after turning the Advantage into an iPhone, simply wondering if there are one or two bits of software which would sell the idea of keeping the Advantage to me.
I'm surprised you'd go for the Touch HD Eaglesteve as its screen is quite a bit smaller than that of the Advantage. The device does interest me, although its price is more than the combined costs of my iPhone and Advantage! I wonder if I'd just be better off keeping two devices once again. What are your feelings on the HD versus the Advantage? How does the overall responsiveness and also audio and video performance compare with the Advantage?
Regards
Check this out: http://www.goosync.com/
F2a said:
Check this out: http://www.goosync.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi thanks for that. Unfortunately you have to pay, and 20 quid seems a rip-off considering I'd only be syncing my contacts. The solution I have for Iphone cost me £1 or something like that.
I'm seriously thinking of just throwing my Advantage straight onto Ebay. Windows Mobile doesn't seem to have the scope of free software it once had. I don't think the idea of free (or very cheap) Google contacts sync software is that ridiculous an idea - certainly it's enough of an issue for more than one iPhone developer to come up with free or cheap solutions. I bought the Advantage because it was cheap and i thought it would be something fun to play around with but I seem to have made a poor decision.
If every little solution costs me £20 then I'm going to be severely out of pocket by the end of the week!
It don't sync with google but....
Sync = www.dashwire.com is the best over the air sync up I've used. Photos, videos, contacts, photocontacts, emails and txt for free! Also snap2face (free) facebook app can sync up with your facebook contacts images too.
Rss video and audio = Beyondpod 3.0 (free) brilliant software. Use this in conjunction with Mort's Player and the Mypod skin (free). You won't look back with a 16GB SDMicro (w/adapter) in your advantage.
Browser = Netfront or even better Skyfire if you can get it. Netfront has so many different configs that you should be happy with one or two.
Email = I get by with outlook as any major media mails I get tend to need my home pc!
I don't download youtube vids but do use vTap as the wikipedia side of it is cool.
I tried to replace my Athena with an iphone and failed by a long way. I'll be using this Ameo for a couple of years I think. (Unless the 4g HTC Max kicks ass)
The one thing I would recommend is putting MichyPrima's 5.1 rom it as it is so damn rock solid and just works so good. All the sensors work with the new 'G' software knocking about and I have only hard reset once to clear out a couple of programs.
Long live the X7500. Best comms device I have owned, by a mile.
leoni1980 said:
Hi Eaglesteve - I had a feeling you'd be in here - good to hear from you.
My circumstances are that I already have an iPhone and have an Advantage coming in the post today. I'm not after turning the Advantage into an iPhone, simply wondering if there are one or two bits of software which would sell the idea of keeping the Advantage to me.
I'm surprised you'd go for the Touch HD Eaglesteve as its screen is quite a bit smaller than that of the Advantage. The device does interest me, although its price is more than the combined costs of my iPhone and Advantage! I wonder if I'd just be better off keeping two devices once again. What are your feelings on the HD versus the Advantage? How does the overall responsiveness and also audio and video performance compare with the Advantage?
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for software for Athena, you should always have FtouchSL, Wktask and the like. But I'd strongly recommend SPB Mobile Shell as one of the most transforming software IMO. Not only it is finger friendly, it will also enhance the camera function, puts all the Opera mobile history and favoutries on the launch menu, but also give you lots of useful tools. Don't forget the latest Resco File Explorer and Registry editor. Of course Opera Mobile is a must, but you need to experiement with the various version to find out which is suits you. I find surfing with Opera mobile on Athena to be way way better than using Safari on iPhone, primarily due to the large screen and not having to zoom in and out. Try out FL3 and directly play youtube using Opera 9.5, something which was impossible the last time you had your Athena. When using Opera Mobile, go to the configuration to make minimum overview zoom 85 percent to allow you ability to activate links in zoom out mode if you so wish.
Don't forget youtubeplayer 1.0.0.10 which allows you to either play directly or download youtube videos.
I can't remember if I had already posted this info in my previous entry, so please excuse me if there's any duplication.
Regarding my using the Touch HD, it's the closest replacement available in the market today. I'm not sure if I could get used to the near 4 inch (3.8 precisely) screen or not, but would give it a try. I think 4.5 inch would be real nice, but let's see..
It has many things that I thought an Athena replacement should have: smoother rounder form factor, embedded ear piece, more dated 7.2mb/s download speed, FM radio, better camera (hopefully), and no keybaord (always much prefer without hardware keyboard).
I'm still waiting for my unit to arrive when I make this post. It is too soon for me to comment on performance, etc. I'd want to make sure that if I make a review it is going to be honest, truthful, and helpful.
I never let cost to influence my decision too much. I just want to the best available, if you know what I mean. Actually while considering HD, Mackaby influenced me to give iPhone a serious consideration, which I did. iPhone would have cost me nothing with a plan, but as you already know, it was a frustration and disappointment for me, so I chosed the HD, which cost me AUD1225, which is much cheaper than my Athena, that cost me about AUD1600.
I'd still keep my Athena, in case I could'nt get use to the small size in HD. Won't know until I try it. Unfortunately nobody in Sydney is selling HD, so the only way to try is to buy.
Enough rumbling. Will let you get back to your Athena. Welcome back, my friend.
Lioni,
Forgot to mention podcast. I've never used this myself, but there should be two ways of doing this in winmo devices. You could do it in Opera mobile
In the address bar, enter the URL address of the web page that contains the RTSP link to the desired *.3gp, *.mp4, or *.sdp file, then click on the RTSP links.
Another way is to to use the Streamin Media program. The media is sent in a continuous stream to winmo devices and is played as it arrives, along with the audio. You could play 3GP, MPEG-4, and SDP files. To use this program, go to start/program and start the streaming media program (I think most of MiChy's ROM has it, if I'm not mistaken), then click connect. On the next screen, enter the URL for the website, then tap connect. You can play/pause, rewind, fast forward, etc.
Hope this helps and hope it satisfies your need.
Cheers.
Regarding Opera mobile versus Safari, my opinion is that Safari is still better in terms of being fluid and smooth. Opera tends to be jerky and unsteady in comparision. However, speedwise, there is probably no difference. Safari tends to require some waiting for the blurred webpage to turn clear before you could take control of it (during this time, it is temporarily frozen). Opera also has this pause. I would rate Safari the better browser overall. However, Opera on Athena clearly triumph over Safari on iPhone in my honest opinion, because of the big screen.
I'm currently using my athena again, as my x1 developed a serious flaw yesterday. It jumped under the wheels of a lorry!
Awaiting replacement device from Vodafone as their insurance department is a bad joke.
Anyway, I'd got used to the comparitively tiny screen of the X1, but having gone back to the athena there's a couple of observations.
Both Screens are fantastic, the X1 is noticeably sharper (small screen hires), but using the athena again I can't see how I can cope with the X1 when I eventually get the replacement. It's like using realvga on a screen half the size of the athena, yet I have been coping with it, it's amazing how much you adapt really quickly.
There's a massive speed difference, the x1 does things nearly instantly, all that memory does it I suppose, it's like running an XP machine on 256mb then sticking 1gb of memory inside instead.
Gps is near instantaneous, screen rendering is the same,opening applications don't bring up the spinning wheel of doom, the athena crawls along in comparison yet it didn't feel that slow when I was using it before. It's all relative I suppose (it's not really that slow, maybe 1/4 of a second or so).
But having said that I love the athena, I mentioned before that I don't find it too big to use as a phone, and the screen is amazing. It's a pity we can't squeeze a newer motherboard in there ;-)
When I get my replacement X1 through I'm not certain what to do, I'm very tempted to sell it and get a touch HD, the form factor certainly works better. But then I could keep using it and have the Athena as a wifi tablet for websurfing.
As for browsing speed (noticeably this forum), I find Netfront on simple browsing to be the fastest there is especially across gprs, not very pretty but who cares about the backgrounds when the info is so important!
to throw a spanner in the works, I had a decent play with the blackberry storm while waiting for Vf customer service and their insurance & repairs dept to sort out my x1. The hardware is the best I've seen, not sure how long the funky screen would last, but the form factor is great and build quality looks good, but the OS doesn't look amazing, and I'm not sure how much you can get access to change stuff, plus there's no wifi !
how stupid is that?
Sorry to hear about your SEXXI mishap.
Are you using MiChy's ROM? His ROM should be noticeably faster.
The screen size is the thing that I would miss most about Athena. No doubt about that. A larger screen with the same resolution would off course appear to be less sharp. I hope just like you I could adapt to the tiny 3.8 inch screen in HD.
You should be able to get almost instant GPS signal with Athena. There is a thread that I started on this on how to get that result.
Talking about speed, Asus has just released a 800 mhz winmo phone. This is the fastest on a winmo phone. But sadly it has only 2.8 inch VGA screen, which I would never be able to live with.
yep im running michys latest, and with gps ive never been able to get less than a 35second fix, usually its much more like 5 mins, despite all the tweaks
Beyondpod 3 looks to be EXACTLY what I'm looking for - well done Arctic Matt!
Now here's a stupid question....
I've relied on my iPhone and 'sync in a blink' (a Google OTA contacts sync application) to back up my phone contacts. Now I know that I can back up all my contacts to my Windows Address Book with Itunes, but does anyone know how to put my contacts from my Windows Address Book OR my online Google Contacts onto my Athena (just as a one-off)? I feel stupid even asking this but in the past I've always relied on having my contacts on the SIM card but a few weeks ago I got a new sim and threw the old one away. I don't use Outlook or anything like that, wondered if perhaps I could just do it with Activesync.
Thanks in advance.
leoni1980 said:
does anyone know how to put my contacts from my Windows Address Book OR my online Google Contacts onto my Athena (just as a one-off)?
Thanks in advance.
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I have an account in Live.com, when I setup Windows Live in my X7510, there is an option to use another email account. I am not sure though if it can use Google (GMail), but to make the story short, upon setup, it will ask you if you want to syncronize your email and contacts to your device.
If Windows Live won't work with GMail, how about creating an account in Live.com. They might have an option to copy your contacts from GMail to Live.com then use Windows Live from your device to syncronize.
Just some thoughts...
fards said:
yep im running michys latest, and with gps ive never been able to get less than a 35second fix, usually its much more like 5 mins, despite all the tweaks
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Click to collapse
Which GPS Navigation do you use???
cktlcmd said:
Which GPS Navigation do you use???
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memory-map
eaglesteve said:
- Do you a extremely fussy person in wanting really really smooth video playback? If yes, consider iPhone. However, if you'r willing to wait, Coreplayer is going to address this issue very very shortly and poor video playout is likely to be history.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what's the core news?
Don't forget to....
leoni1980 said:
Beyondpod 3 looks to be EXACTLY what I'm looking for - well done Arctic Matt!
Now here's a stupid question....
I've relied on my iPhone and 'sync in a blink' (a Google OTA contacts sync application) to back up my phone contacts. Now I know that I can back up all my contacts to my Windows Address Book with Itunes, but does anyone know how to put my contacts from my Windows Address Book OR my online Google Contacts onto my Athena (just as a one-off)? I feel stupid even asking this but in the past I've always relied on having my contacts on the SIM card but a few weeks ago I got a new sim and threw the old one away. I don't use Outlook or anything like that, wondered if perhaps I could just do it with Activesync.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go into the advanced settings of Beyondpod 3 and access Beyond Scheduler! You can automate so much stuff on your Athena without having to program in Mort Script. Via this software my x7500 goes into flight mode at 11pm, wakes up at 6am, connects to my home wifi, downloads all my podcasts, downloads all my emails, syncs with dashwire, switches on realplayer and wakes me up to live BBC radio (I live in Norway - NRK would send me back to sleep.).
Oh and
Once you have all you contacts on your phone I really think you should give Dashwire a go. It is rather spiffing.
Related
Hello
I have been a happy HTC Touch (regular not HD) user for 12 months, doing extensive customisation on my phone. Recently, mainly because my Touch was really slow (only 64Ko of memory, still slow even after replacing with a faster ROM), I bought an iPhone 3G.
After a few months of use, there are pros and cons of course. Now that the HD is out, I am wondering if I should switch back to the HTC Touch HD.
So here are my first conclusions, but of course since I don't have a Touch HD, I cannot answer many of the points.
Please use this thread to complete a really detailed comparison between the iPhone and the Touch HD, not what you can find on standard sites comparing basic features.
General response time: big disappointment as this was my main driver. The iPhone (I have 4 pages of apps installed, so what, I should not use the phone fully???) is really slow. Calendar or contact can sometimes takes up to 5 seconds to open: UNACCEPTABLE. Inside the apps sometimes it is slow as well. Hope the Touch HD is better than the Touch
Calendar: Iphone standard Calendar is much easier to use with a finger than default WM version. However I was using ThumbCal and it was fine with finger even on small HTC Touch screen. Not sure if HTC Touch HD enlarges standard WM calendar (everything is larger) or simply packs more info on a signle page? Also I don't like the fact in iPhone that tasks are not managed by Calendar, annoying!
Contacts: iPhone is much better than default WM or HTC Touch features (one again mainly because easier to use without a stylus). However replacement app such as PocketCm does a better job on WM than on the iPhone: Easier scroll through contact on main page by showing the first letter that will be displaid if releasing the finger. SMS are visible from the contact directly, no need to open SMS app like on the iPhone. Much better group and filter management also: ability to filter contacts by groups (ok also on iPhone, but management of groups creates constraints in Outlook), by city, by company... no equivalent on iPhone.
Phone: better on iPhone: the screen locks itself while speaking, to prevent pressing keys, this is good, don't think it's available on Touch HD? Bigger keys on dialer. Better display format of phone numbers on dialer (grouping of digits). Good pad showing up when on the phone to have the need options on iPhone (speaker phone, contacts, calendar...). And finally Visual Voice mail is useful!
Internet browsing: hard to compare, as I could not really use opera mini on the Touch. I must say Safari does the job quite well, allowing you to access most sites, without flash of course. Does Opera allow to see flash sites? Safari sometimes crashes, but still acceptable. Speed depends on quality of connection. One great thing is integration with iPhone programs: for instance you look on Google for a store. You find it with phone number displaid on Google search page. CLicking on the phone number allows you to call it directly. If you make the call, in call history it will diplay correctly the name of the store to be entered directly in contacts! Fantastic, probably not available in WM and Opera?
Mail: hard to compare as I was not using it on Touch. But the iPhone feature is excellent. I use Yahoo mail. Configuration was very simple, and mails are pre formatted to the iPhone scrren, making it easy to use. Does Touch HD reformat properly mails?
Other programs in general: I would say most progams are more mature on WM, but harder to use since designed to use with a stylus. Not sure once again if the Touch HD enlarges same surface on the screen or simply packs more info in one page, still requiring use of stylus.
Profile Management: my biggest problem with iPhone: Apple does not allow to create a progam that will switch automatically several profile parameters. What is this? A profile is a set of parameter such as screen brightness, ring tone/vibrate, blue tooth on/off, wifi off, 3G on/off, GPS on/off... With Phoneweaver I was able to create as many profiles as needed and change at the touch of a finger. In iPhone, a real nightmare. Let's say you want to activate 3G and GPS: it takes at least 15 clicks... just for these 2 options. UNACCEPTABLE.
SpringBoard: this is the ability to use icons on the today screen: much better on the iPhone by default, but once again with additional program in WM such as iLauncher I was able to get a better result by creating categories which is not really possible in iPhone (I tried Categories, way too slow! and Stacks is odd to use).
GPS: well without TOmTOm I don't see the use of the GPS in the iPhone...
This is a first shot, please give some input!
Olivier
How is this a comparison if you don't even have the Touch HD? It is just your opinions of the iPhone 3G.......on a Touch HD forum of all places.
You can not compare the htc touch with the iphone 3G
the iphone 3G is a newer model which was released 1 year after the htc touch
Also the HD has all the phone features you are saying are better on the iphone and unavailable on the HD. You can either autolock phone when you make a call or use the light sensor on the earpiece. And you get the pad type thing.
i suggest you actually use the HD before posting a comparison in here.
I dont think this guy has used a windows mobile device at all, let alone the Touch HD. he sounds like an apple fan who has just 'heard a bunch of stuff' about Windows Mobile.
Most of it is unfounded.. I mean, how are iPhone contacts better than the Touch HDs? Which is VERY finger friendly.
Calm down with the fanboi defensive stuff guys.
I've had both (sold the Iphone).
Touch HD pro: great form factor, fabulous screen, the resolution makes it so much more usable for bigger webpages. The tweakability of WM too.
Touch HD cons: lots of little irritating things - it's a shoddy unfinished product in a lot of ways. GPS popping offline, wifi problems, those damn freezes, the incompleteness of T3D, the need to tweak all sorts of things that should already have been done (eg opera tweak so you don't need to zoom before clicking). Youtube app doesn't work at all on mine. No BBC iplayer (not HTC's fault of course, but still an issue for consumers). Lots of other small things that should never have happened with a finished product, let alone one costing more than most laptops.
Now that looks like a lot of cons relative to the pros, but the thing is the hardware is just a baseline, a starting point. The excellence of the screen allows it to be whatever product you want - none of the failings are critical for me, and by tweaking/customizing I've fixed/bypassed most of them.
Basically, the Touch HD is a better product than the Iphone, but let down by software quality control.
arfster said:
Calm down with the fanboi defensive stuff guys.
I've had both (sold the Iphone).
Touch HD pro: great form factor, fabulous screen, the resolution makes it so much more usable for bigger webpages. The tweakability of WM too.
Touch HD cons: lots of little irritating things - it's a shoddy unfinished product in a lot of ways. GPS popping offline, wifi problems, those damn freezes, the incompleteness of T3D, the need to tweak all sorts of things that should already have been done (eg opera tweak so you don't need to zoom before clicking). Youtube app doesn't work at all on mine. No BBC iplayer (not HTC's fault of course, but still an issue for consumers). Lots of other small things that should never have happened with a finished product, let alone one costing more than most laptops.
Now that looks like a lot of cons relative to the pros, but the thing is the hardware is just a baseline, a starting point. The excellence of the screen allows it to be whatever product you want - none of the failings are critical for me, and by tweaking/customizing I've fixed/bypassed most of them.
Basically, the Touch HD is a better product than the Iphone, but let down by software quality control.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree, although the Opera thing is not a bug, it's a feature We are spoiled with the HD screen which allows you to actually read huge pages without zooming. On other devices, you hardly can, let alone click a link in any accurate fashion, so you will want to be able to zoom first without accidentally clicking some link in the process... Everyone has their opinion about this of course but this is the reason behind it.
nin2thevoid said:
Agree, although the Opera thing is not a bug, it's a feature We are spoiled with the HD screen which allows you to actually read huge pages without zooming. On other devices, you hardly can, let alone click a link in any accurate fashion, so you will want to be able to zoom first without accidentally clicking some link in the process...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hrrm, don't see why. What's the benefit of zooming first? You can still do it if you want.
Looks to me like HTC just installed Opera and didn't bother testing/tweaking it.
arfster said:
Hrrm, don't see why. What's the benefit of zooming first? You can still do it if you want.
Looks to me like HTC just installed Opera and didn't bother testing/tweaking it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently the meaning of this is that one click in zoom out mode means hovering the mouse to that area. Some websites depends heavily on mouse and hover menus, and without this these sites would be unusable.
I have only 1 thing to say...I had Iphone and HTC X7500....Sold both of them and bought Touch HD...I am really happy with it
Why do people insist on compare a toy with professional devices with all features need and many more ? OMG and even comparing devices you don't have with toys, iPhoney is just a toy with many limitations, there's absolutely no way to compare it with the HD, for those who like to use the expression "iPhone killer" you can stop that, that device was already killed by past HTC devices and others. Stop creating Threads like this one.
Best regards
PJMDS said:
Why do people insist on compare a toy with professional devices with all features need and many more ? OMG and even comparing devices you don't have with toys, iPhoney is just a toy with many limitations, there's absolutely no way to compare it with the HD, for those who like to use the expression "iPhone killer" you can stop that, that device was already killed by past HTC devices and others. Stop creating Threads like this one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, but that's just silly. Of course you can compare them - as cameras, as music players, as web browsers, as video players etc etc. Same as any other multimedia phone. Personally my take is that the Iphone still has the best interface going, and benefits from a mass captive market that others don't have. It took until the touch hd before I actually bought a replacement - none of the other potential "iphone killers" were was good as even the original device (including previous HTC products).
What is with all the fanboi rubbish for and against the iphone? It's a device. If you like it you buy, if not you don't. People seem to take to "supporting" their favourite product like a football team.
There are just a few basic things in my opinion that make the HD far superior to the iPhone.
1. iPhone has no copy and paste...how stupid is that?
2. iphone has no working GPS software with built-in maps and voice navigation...huge omission.
3. iPhone doesn't multitask, you have to close an app to start another...OMG!
If these points don't convince someone that they should get the HD over the iPhone then that's fine, different strokes for different folks. The iPhone is iCandy...period.
concerning web browsing, iphone is much better than the touch hd.
Even though its screen is a bit smaller, the pages load much faster and the scrolling is way smoother.
The keypad is also much better on the iphone, at least for me. When pressing a key, you see above your finger whiwh key you pressed.
Not mentionning the audio part for which the hd doesn't come close to the iphone.
I guess you're wondering what i'm doing here and why i haven't sold my hd yet ? The hd is the best wm based device i've ever had. Being able to install whatever you want and to tweak at will is great.
Now, if a good gps software is someday released for iphone, i may reconsider and leave the touch hd unless it's been improved for web browsing notably in the meantime
...
well, on the other hand some pages in Safari doesn´t work correctly and I don´t understand what you mean the audio part - the quality of 3,5 jack output are comparable (according to independent tests - see gsmarena for example)...iphone´s jack output is just good, not outstanding quality.
catinthehat said:
i suggest you actually use the HD before posting a comparison in here.
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Click to collapse
Second that....
totally useless post, if u actually not even own a HD
hannawald said:
well, on the other hand some pages in Safari doesn´t work correctly and I don´t understand what you mean the audio part - the quality of 3,5 jack output are comparable (according to independent tests - see gsmarena for example)...iphone´s jack output is just good, not outstanding quality.
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Click to collapse
True. Forgot to mention it's the software side i was talking about : i find it easier to navigate all my music on the iphone. Htc tried to mimic this interface but it doesn't match the original
This is of course subjective, but at least it comes from a guy who has both devices in his pocket =)
well all i have to say on the subject is this....
David Balfour said:
well all i have to say on the subject is this....
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hehehe you missed the battery....
I really like HD2, and with the New SMS Hotfix released today, it might be even better
But what do you REALLY want on the phone, that might come out?
For me, in order of how important:
1. Spotify official client
2. Companies like EA starting to develop big titles to Windows Mobile. We know HD2 is just an capable gaming device like the one Apple makes
3. A good Facebook Client (todays client is poor compared to iPhones)
Two for the price of one?? hehe
samsamuel said:
Two for the price of one?? hehe
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I don't know if this would be considered as an feature thou
Google navigator.
I would like the random freezing to stop, especially coming out of unlock.
I'd love the lockscreen to have music access, its just easier to control from there instead of sliding to the specific tab in sense.
Also I'd really like a better windows live messenger program, its just so dated and old and if they could integrate push notifications on there that would be awesome, Facebook app needs to be improved seems like a half assed attempt because everyone phone was getting the app and they had to rush it.
Other than that, Im pretty happy with the phone at the momemnt, each time they update the software it seems like a brand new phone to me.
Im still waiting on whether wm7 is going to be put on the HD2 because the tasks, calendar, notes and whatever else needs to be updated.
Just to fix the flaws eg call volume too loud and distorts/crackles, screen switches back on making calls so your ear ends up pressing other functions, and text input glitch when pressin 12#
If these were fixed it would be the best phone on the market imo, but with them it's becoming extremely irritating
IMO it already is the "most awesome" phone ever. Sure, there are (or rather have been) some teething problems with the device but with the latest SMS hotfix released today it's near perfect (apart from the camera, but this issue was well publicized as a hardware problem before most of us purchased our phones - and yes, no matter what HTC are saying now, it is a hardware fault).
An official spotify client would be nice, but really I prefer to use the built in media player and store my music on the SD card. Spotify may not be around for much longer anyway if certain analysts are to be believed.
The FB client does suck, but it does what it's supposed to - more or less. Even on the iPhone I tend not to use the app but go directly to the website. Unless all you're doing is changing your status or uploading a photo it's just as fast (and should you do a status update or share a photo there are better ways than the app anyhow - I do miss having the ability to add a caption using the MS Uploader though).
So far I haven't come across any apps I need (or want) that are not available on WM, and while the iPhone does have a uniform look, UI wise, the fact WM does not is perhaps a good thing as it allows for more variety. If anything I wish MS would come up with a standard set of skinnable controls so that applying a theme to the phone would change the entire experience - I have a feeling this is in WM7 (to some extent).
Of course, there are ways to make it even more awesome, such as a better battery life, TV out, USB host capabilities, second camera (video calls / webcam) etc, but really it doesn't matter due to the 4.3" screen we do have - that, and the processor, is what makes this device what it is. Without the larger screen it would have been just another phone. By the time WM7 is available we'll likely get another handset with all the features above, the large screen and hopefully Nvidia Tegra
I'd be happy with it if they'd just fix all the damn bugs.
The only things that I want are tv-out and a larger capacity battery. Everything else is spiffy
arxx said:
I really like HD2, and with the New SMS Hotfix released today, it might be even better
But what do you REALLY want on the phone, that might come out?
For me, in order of how important:
1. Spotify official client
2. Companies like EA starting to develop big titles to Windows Mobile. We know HD2 is just an capable gaming device like the one Apple makes
3. A good Facebook Client (todays client is poor compared to iPhones)
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Click to collapse
Ever up until when?
Now?
or now?
or how about now?
Technology is constantly moving, expect a new handset from HTC by the end of the year that blows away the HD2...
It currently is already an awesome handset with some slight quirks/bugs that need rectifying but it will quickly be caught up by other manufacturers and also by HTC itself...
arxx said:
I really like HD2, and with the New SMS Hotfix released today, it might be even better
But what do you REALLY want on the phone, that might come out?
For me, in order of how important:
1. Spotify official client
2. Companies like EA starting to develop big titles to Windows Mobile. We know HD2 is just an capable gaming device like the one Apple makes
3. A good Facebook Client (todays client is poor compared to iPhones)
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Click to collapse
It might be a stupid question but why don't you get an iPhone then
DinoZ1 said:
It might be a stupid question but why don't you get an iPhone then
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I have an iPhone 3G, But I think HD2 is better in many ways
Tactile feedback, 4.3" screen, HTC Sense...
I was also hoping this post would enlighten someones needs, and someone else knowing about how to for fill those needs
I love HD2, but i still have to bring two devices for using i.e. Spotify
Better battery life would make it near perfect for me.
arxx said:
I have an iPhone 3G, But I think HD2 is better in many ways
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I totally agree with you
I only need:
1. a program to disable the T9 button in the keyboard..
2. a program to disable the "Other button other than the power button can't turn on screen"
3. rotate screen will rotate every program..
would be AWESOME!! and I think I'll have the perfect phone..
completely agree with zelduy , id love those three points as well
zelduy said:
3. rotate screen will rotate every program..
would be AWESOME!!
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Have a look at PLToggle (in my signature). It's not an automatic program that rotates the display when you rotate the device, but it allows all programs to rotate with a long-press on the call button (to the rotation of your choice).
That might help
DinoZ1 said:
I totally agree with you
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I sort of agree. The HD2 would be better if everything worked properly. As a device it's better, but because my iphone 3G worked flawlessly it didn't cause me so many headaches, and therefore could be considered better
The main kicker for me would be the battery life.
If I could get about 2 days average use out of the phone that'd be perfect.
It's not happened to me yet but if I desperately needed to make a call at about 4:30pm I can see myself not having enough battery left. What are mobile phones for after all?
I just want it to do everything good without freezing
First of all, I will present myself. I'm a typical business smartphone user mixed with a bit of geek. I've been tied to blackberry for several years due to my company policy but also used maemo devices mostly for recreational purposes. In the computer side its the same history, windows in work laptop and linux in home computers and netbook.
During christmas I decided to change my phone, tired of blackberry phone. I considered n900, droid and hd2, at first nokia was the preferred one but its delays and lack of capacitive screen finally send me to hd2 arms (droid was discarded because I didn't see too much sense in having a capacitive screen and a keyboard)
I want to share with you mi firsts impressions about windows mobile and HD2. It's strong points and lacks from the business user point of view and casual or recreational user point of view:
Business User: GOOD
- Mail and Calendar, this is the key factor, first of all i was greatly disappointed by lack of Blackberry Connect support in this device (our company security policy doesn't allow other access method to our exchange mail server) but Systems Seven was a wonderful discovery, same functionality than blackberry terminals (using standard web access) and minimum bandwidth and battery usage. GREAT, even search in corporate directory is possible.
- IM, yes this is important in corporate environments We use Microsoft OCS, is supported, lacks the possibility of VoIP calls over OCS but this is not a terminal limitation but a Microsoft decision. GREAT
- Web Browser, most of our company systems are web based, the browser is great, i can work with better productivity that Blackberry terminals (great screen resolution and touch responsiveness). GOOD
- Office Integration, of course, in our company we work with Microsoft Office, Documents viewing is great with the suite and i never thoguht about editing complex powerpoint or excels with the phone. Anyway word editing is possible and quite potent feature, this point is related about keyboard. GOOD
- Keyboard, used to Blackberry and n810 keyboards i was afraid about capacitive screen keyboards, first impressions where not very positive, i could type accurately but with less productivity than previous phones. Several weeks ago i discovered swype and right now i can type even faster than with a phone physical keyboard. GREAT
- Security, still trying to find a solution to establish a VPN with my CISCO concentrators, I've tried several solution but none really worked. Closer one was AnthaSOFT but it has stability problems. BAD
- Others, GRemotePRO is a great solution to use my phone as a pointer in presentations lacking the possibility to see next slide or presentation notes but still better than anything in Blackberry. Still searching for a good SVN client and a really touch adapted mindmaps editor.
Casual or recreational user: EXCELLENT
- Music player: Really good it only lacks some utility to rate albums or songs and build playlists based on personal ratings (MediaMonkey style), MySpot is a good application, great effort bud still lacks the ability to locally cache songs, this is problem when you are in a 3G networks (still no unlimited data plans on my country). Sound with good headphnoes (i use Shure) is great. Still searching for a player with flac and cue support. GOOD
- Video Player: CorePlayer and TCPMP are nearly perfect, they play 480p quite good with subtitles. I don't need to convert movies or TV series for watching on long travels. EXCELLENT
- TV Player. Really good, i can see sopcast channels at home (streaming from my HTPC and TCPMP as client) and TVUPlayer in the go. EXCELLENT
- Book Reader: AlReader with minimum screen contrast and right colors can be used during hours without eyes fatigue. I've read about 10-15 books during this months and i'm not considering to buy any book reader. EXCELLENT
- Feeds Reader: RSS feeds are basic for me, i use Google Reader to be able to access feeds in home, work, traveling, etc. I'm using SmartRssTouch in my mobile and is really impressive. Fast and really good touch interface. Excellent
- Web Browsing: Nothing to add. GOOD
- Camera and Video recording: I'm not into photo, i suppose that quality is usual for a phone but quality in photos with movement is not good (maybe i don't have the knowledge to adapt the settings ....). MEDIUM
- GPS Software: Really excellent, nothing to add, i use iGo and i've replaced the dedicated device in my car. EXCELLENT
- IM and Social: Good clients. I use Palringo (mostly gtalk user) and the interface is great. Lacking the hability to establish call with gtalk but i will talk about that later. GOOD
- Phone and SMS: I forgot, HD2 is still a phone Good call quality, no problem with SMS. I use skype for VoIP calls. Lacks integration into contacts of different comunication mechanisms, Maemo is providing a really nice way to do this kind of integration. Out of the box voice dialing is a failure but Cyberon Voice Dialing is a great tool. GOOD
- Interface Customizing. I'm really impressed, great customization capabilities. I use several cabs provided by the community and the interface has really improved (HTC Sense is a great base) just to mention three of them (BattClok, Dutty Task Manager and Co0kie). EXCELLENT
- Games: No comments, i'm not really into gaming .....
- Others: Some surprises, great backup software SPB, nice utilities like Torch or SPB Wireless Monitor. Good SSH client (pocketputty to control my HTPC and work servers)
- Shop: Who really need a shop having XDA ........
Other Topics: EXCELLENT
- Battery: No concern, GOOD
- Stability: Good, some hangs but nothing unusual. At the end, we are using a windows smartphone
- Community: Last but not least. When i was considering N900 or HD2, community support was a concern, i was used to the great maemo community but after discovering XDA community i think that you are doing a really great job. EXCELLENT
i was with you all the way to the battery bit.
Regarding battery life, a agree in the points exposed in the thread "[REF] Leo power consumption breakdown" update"
For me, works days are not really meaningful because most of the time is connected (to the computer or the car) and usualy don't go below 70-80%
During weekend it can last saturday and sunday without recharging if i don't see any movie or soccer match just rss reading, ssh sessions and web browsing
xboxdevil said:
i was with you all the way to the battery bit.
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I see people complain about the HD2's battery life constantly, but honestly, what do you people expect?
I've had the device since it came out on Telstra (I live in Canada, was luckily holidaying in Australia at the time) and I can honestly say that the battery life impresses me. Feels better than my TP2's.
Are you people not charging your device overnight? If not, then I have no sympathy for you nor do I lend any credibility to your complaints, that's quite simply stupid.
Otherwise, your expectations for the device must simply be unreasonable.
I agree with you, i think that battery usage is good, always compared with another similar devices.
Of course, my Blackberry Pearl battery lasts for a week but i never thought that i was going to get the same performance with HD2 ...
Most intense use is during flight planes and i can see two movies and listen music during 4-5 hours with a 70% battery drain (not very scientific but a concrete user experience), this is more than enough for me.
Hi All
I'm possibly looking at a mega for my next work phone, and am interested in people's opinions.
Are there any noteable drawbacks to it? Any noteable positives?
My current work phone is a Vogue. Is it a good upgrade from the vogue? What's better about it?
Phone will be used primarily for email and calendar and calling.
Are there any other devices in the same price range which you wish you'd purchased instead?
OK..
I've had a few windows mobile devices over the years... kaiser, artemis, elf... the Mega is by far the best I've had. It's fast, small, got everything you need on it. Couldn't really fault it. As a business device, it connects to exchange without any extra software, you can surf the net fine (use Opera Mini!), GPS for travelling, wifi for fast data transfer. I've even persuaded my mum to get one!
I use my device mainly for email and browsing, occasional satnav, and of course phone. I recently tried the LG GD500 and the Samsung Tocco Light, and another new LG - none compare with Windows Mobile devices, and as far as WinMo devices go, the Mega is, in my opinion, the best combination of features, performance and size.
If you have a bit extra cash, get the HD2. Touch2 too small. Difficult to type for large fingers. TF2D 2.0 also has limited development.
Personally, I can't see why people get so obsessed with TF2d/Manila/Titanium/SPB/Throttlelauncher/Other Shells...
It's all just eye-candy. People start flashing new ROMs then complain that certain functions don't work, or it's too slow...
I may be in the minority here, but what I wand from my device is (a) basic everyday onformation on my initial screen - message count, diary for the next few days, time, and (b) quick access to my most commonly used functions - email, internet.
Touchflo, Titanium etc just add another layer of complexity that eats up memory, makes things harder to get to, and ultimately slows down the device. The stock roms are fast enough too, although I have to admit I do like playing with new roms, I always use a standard today screen rather than touchflo etc.
I understand the argument about size for typing, but there are bigger virtual keyboards if needed, and it's a personal choice - I find the size of the Mega the best all round compromise - big enough to be useable and small enough to stick in your jeans pocket without being uncomfortable...
Rant over, sorry!
TangerineTractor said:
Personally, I can't see why people g........
Rant over, sorry!
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+1 for that .
If you really really need a so called 'Business Device', then IMHO neither Touch2 nor Touch HD2 cut the ice, get a phone with a real key pad .. like TP2 . I can mail better with my vox or even my B7320 than I can with my Touch2, but Touch2 is a much better and more complete device .
Phones like TD2 or HD2 are really good emailing and calender phones.
The drawback on Touch2 is the calender. It is really bad the way i see it. Even in TouchFlo it doesnt have a good calender. Its just horrifying for me. If you compare it to the 3D of Td2 and HD2 its really bad. TouchFlo3D has awesome calender and appointments, calender mainly due to the fact it shows the dates like a real calender but touch2 shows a long line and very inconvenient.
Emailing is okay but if u hav alot of emails you might want to get a long phone like Td2 to see all ur emails in one screen without scrolling down alot.
If you have big fingers ur going to find texting Very hard.
It only has QWERTY and Phone Keypad while HD2 has Qwerty,semi qwerty and many more.
In the end its ur decision
Thanks guys. I'm limited by how much the company will spend on a phone for me - the price of the Mega is about the maximum they will spend, and I'm not allowed to top up (I would have to buy my own phone with no compensation).
I'm also limited by the fact it has to be a phone advertised by telecom NZ (www.telecom.co.nz) - the mega is not there yet but it will be in the next couple of weeks according to the insider I've talked to.
I found a decent calendar app while I was running winmo on the Vogue, so I'm sure I can find one for the Mega.
How is the speed and screen responsiveness? That's the major drawback to the Vogue.
AaronNZ said:
Thanks guys. I'm limited by how much the company will spend on a phone for me - the price of the Mega is about the maximum they will spend, and I'm not allowed to top up (I would have to buy my own phone with no compensation).
I'm also limited by the fact it has to be a phone advertised by telecom NZ (www.telecom.co.nz) - the mega is not there yet but it will be in the next couple of weeks according to the insider I've talked to.
I found a decent calendar app while I was running winmo on the Vogue, so I'm sure I can find one for the Mega.
How is the speed and screen responsiveness? That's the major drawback to the Vogue.
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No issues with speed or responsiveness. If you need a decent calendar, disable the touchflo stuff and put todayagenda (free) on your todayscreen.
pretty nice PDA put on Tiger Clean ROM and u've got 4 days of battery life
and yes , u can find another calendar app for the Mega and the problem is solved ;]]
Hi guys,
SO glad tat I was able to find up this forum...I have a SE walkman series phone for the past 4 yrs and feel its time to change to some touch screen mobile. I have zilch knowledge abt smartphones and wat ever i know r based frm my 2 days of browsing this forum.
My issues are
1)Basically am not appl freak and want my phone to stand out from others..Does mini fit the bill..?that is I want a phone with touchscreen,decent cam, very good multimedia playback capacity,something sleek...and thats how I zeroed in on HTC Mini..
but after reading this forum., got 2 know tat not much appl's r developed for Mini becos of the screen size..(Is tat right..?)..
SO, after some point of time, after launch of Win 7 mob, will the case be like HTC Mini left alone..? I am investing close to 480$(Indian money) and want to find out that does HTC mini really have some shortcomings applications wise or is it enough for a normal user..?there r no smartphones among my friends...
2) we do not still have 3G networks here in India, but expected in 1-2 yrs..IS MINI WORTH SPENDING TAT AMOUNT (480$=24000 Indian rupees) wihtout 3G? Or can I go for low-end models like Nokia 5800 or HTC touch.. and jump the 3G ship wen it comes later?
Again, i am asking too many questions, but pls guide me...
THANKS..........
HD mini, regarding my point of view, a very nice device with a lot of preinstalled very nice apps.
The resolution is effectively a bit strange in Windows mobile environment, but it was the same and even worst when I purchased my Diamond with VGA screen.
Regarding applications, most of them work. Some qvga ones do not fit on the screen, it remains two black bands on top and bottom of the screen because of aspect ratio. But the applications, even a lot of high graphic games run well (secret of Da Vinci, return to mysterious island,...), even emulators such ScummVM.
I found a lot of chess games (majestic, Kasparov,..) they run really fine. I nevertheless had some difficult to find a good Sudoku, “Panoramic ultimate Sudoku” works very fine but it do not have problem solving mode.
In brief, screen resolution is not really an issue, but if you want to play some specific games such Play station emulator or other resource consuming games. In this case, HD2 should be a better choice.
You could also consider other OS such Android. For me there are not an option, because I live in a small town without 3G and downloading and syncing via phone line costs an arm and a leg. With winmo, I can natively upload all the things trough my PC, and it is just fine.
Each customer has different taste, that's why there are hundred of million of different phones out there. But from my personal point of view and for my needs, the Mini is just perfect for me.
Any other smartphone looks like a damn brick next to it, so yeah, it does stand out from others.
About the apps, I was worried about them, but for some reason all the apps I need work without a single problem in the Mini. iGo 8, MSS Converter, ClearTemp, Opera Mobile 10, Skype, Dictionary, TCPMP, Shazam Music, BSB Tweaks, JWMD IconChanger, PocketRAR, Midomi...
Personally I don't give a sh!t about Windows Phone 7, since it's gonna be more "phone like", while WM 6.5 is like having a small Pentium III in your pocket and that's why I like it.
Thanks a lot moscard and NitroNitrous. Positive comments do matter a lot for me..since its a one-time big "investment" for me.
I know its upto me to decide but just want to be well informed and do not want to be over excited.....also wat do you guys think abt the multimedia handling of the phone..does the processor seem dragged in case of heavy multimedia usage..? I would want to listen mp3's, check out tracks in radio and video songs..tat's it......
I do not think so, regarding my old Diamond, the HD mini is way ahead in performance. It is very responsive for all the daily tasks including photo, video, music, multi-media and so on. I use a Bluetooth headset and it connects almost immediately against the 10s used by my old Diamond.
Internet and remote desktop that I use often are simply wow. Do not worry about that. Some leaks, but nothing dramatic: Led flashing is less visible than on Diamond, there is no native voice tag for contacts, there is no native close or ok button especially for office applications. Nevertheless it is a lot nicer with real glass screen and crisp colours.
Another thing that annoying me a little bit regarding HD2, there is no electronic compass. This would be really usefull in hiking using navigators or google map.
I watch a movie almost every night in DVD quality and it handles it with no problem. Besides, with TCPMP player it can reproduce almost any video format. As for the music you just need a proper player like PocketPlayer 4, which is the one I use. It has everything you can ask for a music player. I have around 300 songs in the playlist and scrolling the list with the finger is always smooth.
There are some bad points also, but nothing new for someone who has used WM before and is not hard to get used to them.